To investigate the impact of frontal macro-structural lesions on intrinsic network measures, we examined brain network function during resting-state fMRI in patients with frontal lesions in the subacute phase after mild to moderate traumatic brain injury. Additionally, network function was related to neuropsychological performances. 17 patients with frontal lesions, identified on admission CT after mild to moderate trauma, were compared to 30 traumatic brain injury patients without frontal lesions and 20 healthy controls. Three months post-injury, we acquired fMRI scans and neuropsychological assessments (measuring frontal executive functions and information processing speed). Using independent component analysis, the activity of and connectivity between network components (largely located in the prefrontal cortex) and relations with neuropsychological measures were examined and compared across groups. The analysis yielded five predominantly frontal components: anterior and posterior part of the default mode network, left and right frontoparietal network and salience network. No significant differences concerning fMRI measures were found across groups. However, the frontal lesions group performed significantly worse on neuropsychological tests than the other two groups. Additionally, the frontal lesions group showed a significant positive association of stronger default mode network–salience network connectivity with better executive performances. Our findings suggest that, on fMRI level, frontal network measures are not largely affected by frontal lesions following a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury. Yet, patients with damage to the frontal structures did show poorer executive abilities which might to some degree be related to altered frontal network connectivity between the default mode network and salience network.

中文翻译：

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轻中度脑外伤后额叶病变对额叶网络测量的影响


为了研究额叶宏观结构病变对内在网络测量的影响，我们检查了轻度至中度创伤性脑损伤后亚急性期额叶病变患者的静息态 fMRI 期间的脑网络功能。此外，网络功能与神经心理学表现相关。研究人员将 17 名患有额叶病变的患者（在轻度至中度创伤后入院 CT 上发现）与 30 名没有额叶病变的创伤性脑损伤患者和 20 名健康对照者进行了比较。受伤后三个月，我们进行了功能磁共振成像扫描和神经心理学评估（测量额叶执行功能和信息处理速度）。使用独立成分分析，对网络成分（主要位于前额叶皮层）的活动和连接性以及与神经心理学测量的关系进行了跨组检查和比较。分析产生了五个主要的额叶组件：默认模式网络的前部和后部、左额顶叶网络和右额顶叶网络以及显着性网络。各组之间的功能磁共振成像测量没有发现显着差异。然而，额叶病变组在神经心理学测试中的表现明显差于其他两组。此外，额叶病变组显示出更强的默认模式网络-显着性网络连接与更好的执行表现之间存在显着的正相关。我们的研究结果表明，在功能磁共振成像水平上，额叶网络测量在很大程度上不受轻度至中度创伤性脑损伤后额叶病变的影响。 然而，额叶结构受损的患者确实表现出较差的执行能力，这可能在某种程度上与默认模式网络和显着网络之间的额叶网络连接改变有关。